Partners
by ObsessedwithBones
Summary: When a former police officer's bones are dug up from a garden, Booth and Bones interview her husband to find out they were partners. Will this finally be the push Brennan and Booth need?
1. Chapter 1

**Spoilers: This takes place after the Christmas episode. So there are spoilers from that episode and ****it's**** fair game for any other episodes before that too.**

**Disclaimer: Chances are, if I owned Bones, I wouldn't be posting on here, I'd be writing for the ****episodes :**

**Authors Note: This is my first story so I would love any input! **

**Chapter One:**

Brennan sat in her office and was working on her latest book when she happened to look up and see it begin to snow. It was only 8 am and she predicted that locically, the ground will be covered within a few hours. She continued to work on her book when she remembered a time when she was six years old and she and Russ had a snowball fight against their mother and father. She was so entranced by the memory, she didn't hear Booth until he shouted "Bones!"

"What Booth?"

"We have a case," he told her, flashing his charm smile.

On the way to the crime scene, Brennan learned a body was found buried in someone's garden by a dog who dug a hole revealing it. Arriving at the crime scene, Brennan grabbed her kit and followed Booth to where her bones were at. Upon observing them, she found the victim to be female between the ages of 30 and 35 with two gunshot wounds in the leg and one to the chest.

"Well at least we know one thing," Booth said.

"And what's that?" Brennan replied.

"Whoever shot her had really sucky aim at first."

"Booth.. that isn't something we've proved yet. There is no way to tell right now if those two wounds (she points to the leg) were even made at the same time."

"Bones, I was just.. nevermind."

"Fine, okay. Let's just get these to the lab."

"Yeah, good idea, cuz in a few minutes, we won't be able to move in this snow."

Back at the lab, Cam, Zach, Angela, and Hodgins were sharing snow stories from their childhood.

"Okay everybody – can we just get back to work? I'm sure this woman's family would love to know what happened! Angela – can you get started o the face?"

"Yeah sweetie, I'm on it."

"Zach, do you have anything on the murder weapon?"

"Yes Dr. Brennan – it's a 22 caliber. The shot to the chest was the one which ended her life. The other two are at least three years old."

"And Hodgins – what can you tell us about the particulates found around the body?"

"There are bits of rock and asphalt mixed with the soil as well as mulch so it means she was killed on a road and then buried in the garden."

"Okay so we'll have to search the road near where the body was found for any blood stains," Brennan concluded.

"Everyone…" Angela started but was interrupted by Booth swiping his card and coming onto the platform.

"Okay squints – we got an ID yet?"

"As I was _saying _– I have an ID. Her name is Allison Garner. She is a former police officer but had a baby five months ago so she quit to become an at-home-mom. It says here her husband is Richard Garner, a police officer."

"Okay Bones, let's go check out the husband," Booth said as he pulled Brennan away from the Bones by the shoulders."

"Awww!" Angela awed.

"What?" everyone replied in unison.

"They were partners!" Angela informed them looking at Booth, who just glared at her, and Brennan who was.. blushing?

"Brennan, sweetie, are you blushing?"

"No, of course not, Booth are we going or what?"

"Yeah, yeah, let's go"


	2. Chapter 2

**Spoilers: This takes place after the Christmas episode. So there are spoilers from that episode and ****it's**** fair game for any other episodes before that too.**

**Disclaimer: Chances are, if I owned Bones, I wouldn't be posting on here, I'd be writing for the ****episodes :**

**Chapter Two:**

Driving to talk to Richard Garner, Booth and Brennan sat in comfortable silence exchanging glances every so often. They arrive at a dark brick house twenty minutes later. Richard Garner opens the door with an infant in his arms. He was a handsome man – around 5'11, dark brown hair, brown eyes, and tan skin.

"Are you Richard Garner?" Booth asked.

"Yes, who are you?"

"I'm Special Agent Seeley Booth and this is my partner Dr. Temperance Brennan from the Jeffersonian. We're here about your wife."

"You found Allison?"

"Yes, we're sorry for your loss."

Richard tells them to come in and places the infant into the playpin and leads them into the living room. They sit down on the couch but before Booth or Brennan could get a question out, Richard covered his face with his hands and began to sob. Brennan and Booth exchanged glances and watited a few moments before proceeding with the questioning.

"We're sorry Mr. Garner but we're going to have to ask you a few questions."

Richard just barely got out an "okay."

"When was the last time you saw your wife?"

"14 days ago,that night when we went to bed. When I woke up Friday morning to go to work she was already gone. She was going to take Colby to her parent's house for the day and then go shopping. When I got home, I saw Colby in the playpin. I figured she was home since he was here but I looked everywhere and couldn't find her," Richard told them as he started to tear up again.

"Can you think of anyone who would want to hurt your wife?" Booth inquired.

"Well.. she has arrested tons of angry, dangerous people who could probably do her harm."

"Do you know any of their names?"

"Umm, yeah- there's uh Andres Johnson, Josh Black, Calvin Tricket, Alex Keyes… and I think that's all- I'm sorry, my memory isn't very good right now."

"Thank You Mr. Garner, you've been a great help. We're sorry for your loss."

As they were leaving, Booth began thinking that something didn't feel quite right.

"Hey Bones."

"Yeah Booth?"

"Does something not feel right to you about this?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well the baby was left in the house so it's not like she left to go shopping or went for a walk."

"Yeah! Anddd… there was no evidence of a break in."

"Didn't you say she was killed on a road?

"Yes."

"Sooo.. we should probably find out exactly what road she was murdered on and figure how she got there."

"I completely agree Booth."

Back at the lab, Hodgins determined she had been dead approximately eight days.

"See Bones – I told you – something fishy."

"I don't know what that means."

"Weird, off, not right."

"Oh, okay! Why couldn't you have just said that to begin with?"

Booth groaned and then said. "Okay squints why don't you go see if the road near the Garner's home was the crime scene and I'm going to bring in these people Mr. Garner gave us the names of. Bones, you coming?"

"Yeah, I'm coming."

As she turned to walk away, Booth's hand found the familiar spot on her lower back. It is so second nature to the two of them, they hardly realize it's not something that goes unnoticed by everyone else.


	3. Chapter 3

**Spoilers: This takes place after the Christmas episode. So there are spoilers from that episode and ****it's**** fair game for any other episodes before that too.**

**Disclaimer: Chances are, if I owned Bones, I wouldn't be posting on here, I'd be writing for the ****episodes :**

**Chapter three:**

Brennan and Booth had no trouble interrogating Andres Johnson, Josh Black, Calvin Tricket, or Alex Keyes. Each ofthem had rock solid alibis. Andres was with family, Josh and Alex were at an AA meeting, and Calvin was in a meeting at work. Meanwhile, Cam, Hodgins, Angela, and Zach went to the raod in front of the Garner's house looking for evidence that the murder happened there. They checked the entire street and the grass on the sides of the street too and found nothing. Disappointed and confused , they headed back to the lab.

Ten minutes after being back at the lab, Booth and Brennan arrive. "So squints- you find out anything?"

"Nothing useful," replied Hodgins. "I'm going over the bones again looking for any particulates I missed last time."

"Well isn't that just great – all our guys had solid alibis," Booth announced.

Then Angela chimed in saying "So basically, we have nothing."

"That would be correct," Zach proclaimed.

They discussed the case for a few minutes trying to find something they had missed before.

"A-ha!" Hodgins announced.

"What Hodgins?" Brennan asked.

"There is something called black stone that I found among the particulates. It was only used in the year 1976 on road on the outskirts of the city."

"Okay that's good! How far away is that from the Garner's house?"

"Between ten and fifteen miles, depending on where on the road she was murdered."

"Okay now all we have to do is find out how she got there – and who killed her. Bones – I think we should go see the husband again – see if he knew something and wasn't telling us."

"Okay."


	4. Chapter 4

**Spoilers: This takes place after the Christmas episode. So there are spoilers from that episode and ****it's**** fair game for any other episodes before that too.**

**Disclaimer: Chances are, if I owned Bones, I wouldn't be posting on here, I'd be writing for the episodes :**

**Author's Note: Sorry about the length of the last chapter- I didn't mean for it to be so short. This one will be better, I promise :**

**Chapter 4:**

On the way to see Richard Garner a second time, Booth asked Brennan how her father was doing. She began talking about how they've been becoming closer, especially since Christmas in the trailer a month ago.

"That was one of the best days of my life you now? I got to spend Christmas with my family which I hadn't done in fifteen years. And then you, with that tree... it was perfect Booth."

"Thank you Temperance, that means a lot to me – plus, I just wanted you to have your perfect Christmas."

"I did."

They smile at each other and Brennan gets that strange feeling in the pit of her stomach again – the same feeling she had when she kissed him under that mistletoe a month ago.

Brennan thinking of a logical reason for this and thinks to herself, "I must be getting sick."

Before she had any more time to reason to herself, the vehicle stopped in front of the Garner's house once again.

"Okay Bones, let's go see if Rich here can tell us anything about his wife," Booth stated while ringing the doorbell.

"Agent Booth, Dr. Brennan, what are you doing here? Did you find something else about Allison's murderer?"

"No, Mr. Garner, not yet. We just need to ask you a few more questions that may help us," Booth replied.

"Alright, come on in – I'll put Colby in his crib and I'll be right back."

Richard Garner joined them in the living room ten minutes later.

Booth began the questioning, "How did you meet your wife Mr. Garner?"

"I had been working as an officer for five years when she was assigned as my partner."

"Uh-huh, okay. Can you tell us a little about that please?" booth asked, thinking he may regret it soon.

"Well at first, to be honest, I couldn't stand her (he laughs). I had been on my own for a while and didn't see why I needed a partner. We argued ALL the time for the first two months. After that, we started to become friends. After we finished an arrest, we would go to this little coffee shop near the station. After we became closer, we started to have dinner together frequently whether at a restaurant or at one of our places. However, it wasn't until our first kiss that we realized we were beyond "just friends." Our first kiss was under mistletoe – how cliché right? Anyways, we started dating after that – once we stopped being so stubborn to realize it that is. That was Christmas, 2004. I proposed Christmas Day, 2005, exactly a year from our first kiss. We got married June 17, 2006. Then, when she got pregnant, she quit her job as a police officer and decided to be a stay-at-home mom to Colby."

Brennan and Booth said "Wow" at the same time, barely audible.

"Mr. Garner, I'm sorry to tell you this but all those people you told me about all have solid alibis," Booth informed him before Brennan cut in "and she lived two days after you saw her last."

"What's that mean?" Richard questioned.

"We're not sure yet – Do you think we could take a look around – see if we can find anything that would be of any help?"

"Yes, of course. Look wherever you want."

Booth decided the best place to find answers would be the bedroom. After searching for several minutes they hadn't found much.

"Hey Bones – come shine your little light thing over here on the bed."

"Why?"

"Well… because you can collect DNA samples and see if maybe she was having an affair. Then at least that way we might have a lead."

"Fine, okay. Yes, there is definitely semen contribution here. I'll get my kit."

After collecting samples from the bed, Brennan decided to look under the bed.

"You know Booth; people keep the most secretive items underneath their bed, as a way of hiding it out of sight."

"Yes, as a matter of fact, I did know that!"

Brennan then pulled a box out from underneath the bed and placed it on top of it and opened it.

"What's in there Bones?"

"Photographs and letters."

"Okay then…"

"The photographs are of Richard and an older lady, probably 25 year difference."

"His mother?"

"Yeah, that's what I'm thinking."

"What about the letters?"

"They're all from Elizabeth Garner – now I'm close to 100 sure it's his mother."

"Okay Bones, what do they say?"

Brennan takes out a stack of about twenty letters, gives half to Booth, and they begin to read silently. A few minutes later, they put the last letter they were reading down and said "Oh my God" at the same time.

"Booth- do you know what this means?"

"Yeah, it means we finally have a lead."


	5. Chapter 5

**Spoilers: None in this chapter. **

**Disclaimer: Chances are, if I owned Bones, I wouldn't be posting on here, I'd be writing for the ****episodes :**

**Author's Note: Sorry it took so long to post this. I would wait ****til**** morning, but I'd rather do more writing tomorrow smiles ****And**** also- Thank You for the reviews! ****Keep**** '****em**** coming! 3**

Chapter 5:

After finding the letters and photographs, Booth and Brennan thought it would be best to question Richard again while they were still there.

"Mr. Garner – we'd like to ask you a few more questions concerning something we found in your bedroom."

"Yes, of course, whatever you need," he offered.

Booth began with the question "What was the relationship between your mother and your wife like?"

Richard's face instantly tensed up and all the color drained from his face but he still managed to say, "They got along great – spent a lot of time together - you know, like nomal."

"Oh is that so?" Booth asked. "Bones, why don't you read a bit of stuff from those letters you have there so maybe we can get the _real _story."

Brennan nods her head and flips through the letters finding the one dated first and begins reading, "Why are you dating that woman Richard? I know you can do better. She is just your partner for work and you ARE NOT supposed to take your work home with you." Brennan flips to the next letter, " Now I hear that you're ENGAGED to that piece of trash? That whore does not deserve you son. The wedding is still a few months away – there's still time to get out of it." Brennan looks up and sees that Richard has his face covered with his hands. She proceeds with the next letter, "Son, I have been patient with you so far and you STILL insisted on getting married to this no-good bitch? You will regret this Richard." At this point, Richard has tears streaming down his cheek but Brennan continues with the last letter, dated a month before the murder of Allison Garner, "Now I find out that not only did you marry this tramp but she has a baby with you? You actually impregnated this awful woman with your DNA and now I have a grandchild that's part of _her? _ And she stays at home all day with it while you go to work and actually support your so-called-family? She's brainwashing your child so it will grow up to be just like her – a waste of human being. How could you do this? I told you before you would regret it – I told you."

At this point, Richard is sitting down on the couch crying, unable to speak. Brennan asks him if he would like some water and he nods his head yes. She returns from his kitchen with a bottle of water and hands it to him. He takes it gratefully and takes a few sips before finally gaining control of himself. "I'm such an idiot; I should have known. I don't know why she hated Allison so much. I thought she would love her because I did. I always thought she would grow on her." He takes another sip of water to avoid crying again. "Allison found the letters – about a week before she disappeared. She cried for hours and then fell asleep. The next morning when I woke up, she was gone and she left a note on her pillow saying she went to see my mother. I called but no one answered. I just figured they went out shopping or to lunch or something so I went ahead to work. When I got home that night, she told me she was never going to see her again and when I tried to ask her about it, she refused. I decided not to push her on the subject. Now I wish I had." He begins crying again.

"Thank You Mr. Garner. Just one more thing – where does your mother live?" Booth asks.

"3954 Blue Rock Road – it's about ten miles away."

Brennan and Booth exchange glances, Booth thanks Richard Garner again, and they leave to head back to the lab to share with everyone what they had learned.


	6. Chapter 6

**Spoilers: None in this chapter. **

**Disclaimer: Chances are, if I owned Bones, I wouldn't be posting on here, I'd be writing for the ****episodes :**

**Author's Note: Sorry i****t took so long to post this. I'm not supposed to be on here, but I'm just going to post this chapter here right quick ****And**** I'm loving the reviews! ****Keep**** '****em**** coming! **

Chapter 6:

Back at the lab, Brennan and Booth informed all the others what they now knew about Elizabeth Garner's relationship with their victim. After being told, everyone was in shock, wondering why she could possibly hate her so much. Booth chimed in, "well we're about to find out, Elizabeth Garner has just been brought in for questioning. Squints – why don't you go to the mom's house and do your thing looking for evidence of a murder and that rock Hodgins was talking about. Bones-let's go."

At that, everyone left the lab. In the FBI interrogation room sat a woman around the age of 55 with dark brown hair, pale skin, and signs of aging and smoking around her eyes and lips. When Brennan and Booth walked in, she refused to talk to them until her lawyer arrived and never looked them in the eyes. As soon as her lawyer walked in, Brennan's phone began to vibrate, signifying a text message. It read that the squints had found the exact same type of rock in front of Elizabeth Garner's home that was found the remains. After reading it, she slid it over to Booth allowing him to know also. By this point, it seemed to be an open and close case, but they continue with the interrogation.

"Ms. Garner- I'm sure you're aware that your daughter-in-law was found buried in a garden as a result of being murdered?" Booth begins.

Without even flinching, she replies "Yes," and Booth could've sworn he saw a smug grin on her face.

He continues, "What was your relationship with Allison Garner like?"

"What relationship? I hated her."

"Yes, we've heard," Booth answers, exchanging a look with Brennan that says a confession must be coming. He asks her why she hated Allison so much."

"Because she's a slut and murdered her own child because she didn't want it," Elizabeth practically screamed.

"What?" Booth asks, thrown for a loop.

"Oh yes, I'm sure my dear son left out that part of the story. He'd love nothing more than for the blame to be put on me. Knowing him, he probably set it up well so that when you searched his house, you would search and search for evidence but wouldn't find any – but then you probably looked in a good 'hiding spot' for items like in the back of the closet or under the bed. He is good, my son."

"Under the bed," Brennan whispers.

"What can you tell us about the… stuff you know Ms. Garner?"

"When Allison was a teenager and up until her early twenties, she slept with a lot of men. When she was twenty, she ended up pregnant, still in college. She had the baby and for some odd reason decided to keep it. Then two weeks later, the baby ends up dead. Not enough oxygen to the head was the reason – she suffocated that poor infant."

"How do you know this?"

"When she was assigned to be my boy's partner, she instantly trusted him and told him. However, he couldn't stand her at first and often came complaining to me about her, telling me everything."

"I see, okay, can you think of anything else that may assist us in our investigation?"

"Yes, actually, I'm sure you've seen the baby? Colby?"

"Yes…" Booth replies, unsure of where this was going.

"Haven't you ever wondered why he has blonde hair and blue eyes? Richard has brown hair and brown eyes and I'm sure you know brown eyes are dominant in genetics…"

"Wait, are you saying…?"

"Colby is not Richard's. When I wrote my son the letter about impregnating her, he wrote me back saying he wasn't the father with a paternity test proving it."

"Do you know who the father is?"

"No, sorry – probably a one night stand. I'm telling you, that woman was a slut."

"Okay well, thank you Ms. Garner for all your help," Booth told her as he and Brennan stood up to leave.

Placing a hand on the small of her back, they exit the FBI building significantly more confused than when they arrived. They thought for sure his mother was going to practically incriminate herself with all the evidence against her. On the way back to the lab Brennan asks, "Booth, what about the rock that Hodgins found?"

"Anyone could've killed her there to make it appear like the mother had done it. We've got to question Richard again and see what he thinks of us knowing all this new information and the squints better find some more evidence so we can solve this. Because as of now, we're no where close."


End file.
